You MUST Plant These Crops in JUNE

Summary

In this video, James Pion shares 10 crops to plant in June, emphasizing the importance of starting warm-weather crops like cucumbers, beans, squash, melons, and tomatoes. He offers tips for pest control, planting methods, and care for these crops, including dealing with cucumber beetles and squash vine borers. James also encourages gardeners to plant sweet potatoes, peppers, and eggplants, and offers advice on growing in containers. He highlights the importance of knowing your frost-free days and stresses the joy of gardening despite challenges. Throughout, James promotes his new merch and the Team Grow community.

Takeaways

• 😀 It's still a great time to plant warm-weather crops like cucumbers, beans, squash, and melons in June.
• 🌱 Cucumber beetles can be managed by growing burpless cucumber varieties or using insect netting and kaolin clay to protect the plants.
• 🌿 Green beans are easy to grow, should be direct-sewn, and thrive in square foot gardening. They don’t like being transplanted.
• 🍆 Squash grows rapidly in the heat and benefits from frequent harvesting, which encourages continued fruit production. Planting different squash varieties provides diversity in flavor and shape.
• 🍉 Melons, like watermelon and cantaloupe, thrive in the warm temperatures of June and grow quickly when properly cared for, especially with adequate water and mulching.
• 🍅 June is the ideal time to transplant tomatoes into the garden for optimal growth, as they take about 70-100 days to start fruiting.
• 🌿 Growing basil alongside tomatoes enhances flavor and growth, while regularly harvesting basil can help keep it productive.
• 🍠 Sweet potatoes love heat and should be planted in loose, well-draining soil. Use fertilizers that promote tuber growth over leaf production.
• 🌶 Peppers and eggplants can be transplanted into the garden now, but they take a long time to produce, so they should be grown in containers for flexibility.
• 🌻 Planting flowers like marigolds, borage, sunflowers, and zinnias helps attract beneficial insects, improves garden aesthetics, and encourages biodiversity.
• 🌽 Corn can still be planted in June if you have the space. It's a great crop to grow, and future plans for planting corn on a homestead are exciting.

Q & A

What is the ideal time to plant cucumbers?

The ideal time to plant cucumbers is in June when the temperatures are climbing and the soil is warm. Cucumbers thrive in heat and hate the cold.

What are some effective ways to protect cucumbers from cucumber beetles?

You can protect cucumbers from cucumber beetles by growing burpless varieties like the tender green cucumber, which have low levels of cucurbitacin. Additionally, using insect netting on young plants and spraying them with surround ka clay can act as a protectant.

Why is it important to harvest cucumbers while they are young?

It's important to harvest cucumbers while they are young because if you let even one cucumber fully ripen on the vine, the entire vine will stop producing. Regular harvesting encourages more fruit production.

How should beans be planted for optimal growth?

Beans should always be direct sown, as they do not like being transplanted. Using the square foot method, you can plant nine beans in a square foot for healthy growth and high production.

What is a recommended variety of bush bean to grow?

The dragon tongue bean is a great variety of bush bean to try. It's one of the grower's favorites for its taste and productivity.

What are some tips for planting squash?

Squash should be planted directly in the ground or in large seed cells. Make sure to mix in some all-purpose fertilizer before planting. Squash plants grow quickly, so be prepared for rapid growth during warm weather.

How can you protect squash plants from squash vine borers?

To protect squash plants from squash vine borers, you can use insect netting when they are young or spray them with surround ka clay. Additionally, planting a second round of squash in late June or early July will avoid the peak egg-laying period for vine borers.

What should you do to prevent melons from splitting?

To prevent melons from splitting, keep the soil consistently moist by adding mulch, such as diced leaf mulch or wood chip mulch, around the base of the plants. Avoid allowing the soil to dry out and then be hit by a heavy rain.

Why is June a good time to plant tomatoes?

June is a good time to plant tomatoes because there is still plenty of time for them to mature before the first expected frost. Tomatoes typically take about 70 to 100 days to start fruiting, so if you have enough frost-free days, you can still plant them.

What is a good fertilizer for sweet potatoes?

For sweet potatoes, it's best to use a fertilizer that is not too high in nitrogen, as you want the plants to focus on tuber production rather than leaf growth. All-purpose fertilizers or specific sweet potato fertilizers like Turbo Tuber from Fedco are good options.